PART 2: Spanner in the works
by Kirstini
Summary: Christina after her ectopic pregnancy. Derek and Meredith. Izzie makes a decision about the doctors, and Alex is shocked by George's actions. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF 'A Spanner In The Works MAY BE WORTH CHECKIN OUT FIRST! THANKS X X X
1. The Realisation

**A Spanner in the Works, Part 2**

**Please note: this is a continuation (obvious from the title) of 'A Spanner in the Works'. It still makes sense without this, but it is probably better if you were to read that one first. Please feel free to comment on my stories, comments are greatly appreciated! Thank you!**

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**VOICE OVER: **The next day was like hell on earth. Derek was right, Christina's pregnancy was ectopic, and as soon as we arrived at Seattle Grace she was rushed straight into the Operating Room. (This is all being shown while voice over is happening – now a close up on Meredith, Izzie and George looking helpless.). All we could do was sit and wait, it was an awful feeling. Something none of us were ready for.

Izzie spoke first, jumping from her seat and pacing around again. "I don't believe we can't do anything! We are doctors! We should be helping! What's taking them so long!"

"Izzie, I'm sure everything will be fine, they are working as fast as they can" Meredith replied nonchalantly.

The hours crept by. The three interns were in the family area, and we see a sped up version of what is happening, George hunched over on a chair, looking at the floor; Izzie pacing over and over until resting on a seat next to Meredith. The windows change from night to early morning as the movements of the three become few and far between until the three are sprawled out on the chairs, leaning on each other, fast asleep. They are woken with a start by Doctor Addison Shepard, the surgeon who worked on Christina.

"Well," She began, "Christina is recovering. As you already are aware she lost the baby…."

She continued to tell them all the details of the surgery, and we see the three of them looking solemn as we are taken away from the scene through the Relatives Room window. We travel down the hall and come to Christina's room. She is slowly waking up.

**Voice over during this:** Christina's problem had been solved for her, but in a way in which none of us could see coming. Now she had other problems.

Christina is laying on the bed, leaning over, a line of tears streaming slowly down her face. She is facing the window, away from the door. Doctor Burke appears at the door, he cannot see Chrisitina's face, he assumes she is sleeping.

"Christina?"

Christina quickly wipes her eyes and slowly sits up, sore from surgery. One look at Doctor Burke and she wants to cry again. Burke is in his normal clothes, he isn't working today.

"I got a call from Doctor Grey – I heard what happened."

That was all that needed to be said between them. We leave the scene to see Burke rush and hug Christina, who then bursts into tears. They sit in the embrace on the bed. We go away from the scene, to the changing rooms, where the other three interns are getting ready for their shift.

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**"Poor Christina" Meredith reflects as she puts on her trainers. 

"She'll be up and about in no time" Izzie comments, much to the dislike of Meredith.

"She will have been affected in someway by this, after all she is human! I just hope Doctor Burke got my message"

"You called Doctor Burke!" adds George shocked.

"I thought he had a right to know, after all, it was his child" Meredith added absentmindedly as she grabbed her white coat, put it on and walked, followed by Izzie and George, to where their rounds started. Doctor Bailey looked solemn.

"Doctor Yang will be off for a few weeks, so we have to all take on extra patients. Work quickly, accurately and as far away from me as possible."

With that she gave out their 'assignments' and then walked off to the doctors nap room, where she grabbed the bottom bunk of the nearest bed and buried her head. She'd been working an 8 hour shift and with Yang being rushed in, the OR was a mess. Obviously she was blamed for it.

Alex came up behind Izzie, who was at the foot of an elderly mans bed. He came close to her, their faces inches away, and he whispered into her ear. Izzie tensed.

"Morning Doctor Stevens"

Izzie turned, practically having to lean over the bed to do so, trying to distance her body from Alex as quickly as possible.

"What do you want Alex?"

"Like I said yesterday, you"

"We've already discussed this, I'm seeing someone. What part of that aren't you getting!"

"Oh come on Stevens, George is a simple nobody. Poor Guy, thinking he stands a chance with someone as amazing as you. Put him out of his misery and come experience a real man."

Izzie was shocked at this and was just about to slap Alex, when she saw out of nowhere, a fist meeting Alex's jaw. Taken by surprise, Alex fell to the floor and looked up in shock. George was stood over him, fist still clenched.

"I….I…."

"Jesus George" Izzie answered, in shock

"Well O'Malley, didn't know you had it in you" Said Alex, getting up and rubbing the blood from his lip. He then composed himself, and walked away, brushing past George as he went, who was still frozen in fear. The realisation of his actions brought him out of it, and he looked around embarrassed, looking to see if many people had noticed. He turned on his heel and continued with his rounds, as if nothing had happened.


	2. The Repercussions begin

**Spanner in the Works Part 2 – Chapter 2**

Lunch came quickly, and the three interns went to the canteen and grabbed their lunches. They ate quickly, hoping to call in on Christina before going back to their rounds. They got to her room, to see Doctor Burke sat on the bed, Christina's head on his shoulder, tears streaming. He was stroking her hair, looking to the foot of the bed. The three thought it was best not to interrupt, but as they were walking away, Meredith caught the eye of Doctor Burke, who immediately became conscious of the fact he was Yang's superior when it came to the hospital. He got up slowly and closed the blinds on the window, then returned to his position next to the teary Christina.

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Doctor Derek Shepard had just finished a lengthy surgery and looked at his watch. 5pm. He was making his way to the locker room to change, when he saw Meredith. Since choosing his wife over her, Derek had the strangest feeling of insecurity. He'd picked the wrong girl, he knew he had, and since the incident in the intern hideaway, Derek knew for sure that he had done wrong.**

"Meredith, we need to talk"

"Doctor Shepard"

"Meredith please"

"Doctor Shepard, please can we hurry up with this. I have patients to see before my shift ends"

"Meredith, I want you to know, I'm filing for divorce."

"Oh, really?" Meredith tried to contain her interest, trying to make it look like she was sarcastically pretending to be interested. She knew it had failed.

"Please, Meredith, look at me at least"

Meredith knew if she did, she would end up falling into his eyes and drowning. She couldn't let herself be captivated by his charms again, not after last time. She looked up. Their eyes met. She knew instantly she shouldn't have done it.

"Come for a drink with me tonight, please"

"Doctor Shepard…."

"Meredith, for God's sake, stop calling me Doctor Shepard!" he said it a little too loudly, and three dozing patients awoke with a start. Derek restarted his conversation with Meredith, this time whispering.

"Please Meredith, please, I'm begging you. All I want is for us to go for a drink." He was trying to make eye contact with her again, but she seemed enthralled by the details in a patients file. She took a pen out of her pocket and started to write.

"Fine, I'll see you when my shift finishes" She said, offhand and calmly.

"When is that?" Meredith put the pen back into her top coat pocket, closed the file and placed it back in the holder at the base of the bed.

"Six." She turned and walked off, leaving Derek stood there frozen for a moment. He turned and then walked off; his stride seemed to portray his inner rejoicing.

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George could not believe that he had punched Alex. What was he thinking! In front of all those patients, it was so unprofessional of him. His thoughts were troubled by such thoughts all morning, until he went to the intern hideaway corridor during his break. Meredith and Izzie were there.

"Hey guys, I think I should apologise to Alex"

"What! Why George, it was his own fault for talking about you like that!" Izzie answered. She was now leaning on the trolley and talking in a very animated way.

"I heard all about it George, way to go" Meredith commented as she finished off her apple. Her beeper went off mid bite, "Aww, I so wanted to hear all the details, but I got to go. Can this wait till later?"

Meredith didn't wait for an answer; she jumped up and ran to the elevator. Izzie and George were left alone. George sat down beside Izzie on the trolley and leaned against the cool brick wall. The windows were dark as it was now well into the evening. The street lights sent an amber light on the corridor. George looked up to the ceiling. Izzie looked at him inquisitively before resting her head on his shoulder.

"George" Izzie said out to the darkness of the corridor

"Yeah"

"I think we should go out on a date. A real one."

"Erm…sure. Is this because of what Alex said?"

"No, but I want everyone to know about us, you know. That we are an item"

That comment took George by surprise. Never had he expected a girl like Izzie want to be a couple with a guy like him. They carried on discussing it, and decided to go to the bar for a drink, just the two of them, after work. Then at the weekend they could go for a meal or something. The two then went back to work, and waited for their shift to finish in an hours time.

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Six fifteen. Meredith was making her way over the street to the bar where all the hospital staff seemed to go after their shifts. It was easiest really, as it was only just across the street. She walked into the packed bar, searching for his face. Her heart sank. She was only fifteen minutes late, but if she were him; she'd have gotten bored and left too.

"Meredith!"

She turned to her right, and saw Derek in a booth in a back corner, two drinks on the table. He'd ordered a drink for her. She sat beside him and they said little to each other to begin with. We are taken again to the door, to see George and Izzie walk in, Izzie first, gripping tightly to George's hand. She was gripping her handbag on her other shoulder with the other arm. She pulled him to the bar and she ordered for the both of them. They sat and drank their beers.

Bailey was sat at the other end of the bar, sat with Doctor Burke, who'd left his bedside vigil over Christina at Christina's own orders. He had nowhere else to go. He explained the situation to Bailey.

"Well, Doctor Burke, I'd have expected better from you of all people. I expected it from McDreamy over there, but not from you" Bailey gestured over to the booth, were Derek and Meredith were now deep in conversation.

"What do I do? I'm in love with her"

Bailey looked at Doctor Burke in disbelief. Christina had gotten to him. Never had she seen Burke in such a position. Burke was always a solitary character, kept his personal life personal, as far as she knew he'd never even looked at another member of hospital staff in a romantic way, and now here he was, having impregnated an intern. His problems were only just beginning.

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Izzie and George left the bar, they pass our line of view and we see them leave the bar. Our focus is now on the booth, where Derek and Meredith are in deep conversation.

"Addison left. I kicked her out. I explained my feelings to her. She understands. She is getting on with her life; I hope we can get on with ours."

"Derek, I don't know. I can't trust you anymore. I don't know what I want."

"Tell me you want me!" He was getting irate. The alcohol was getting to him. He'd had four very large very strong liquors before Meredith had arrived, convincing himself that she would be coming, even if she was a little late.

Meredith and Derek continued talking for a while, and then Meredith left, alone. Derek stayed in the booth, in the same position he was in before Meredith left, leaning over an invisible person. He got up slowly, took the empty glasses to the bar, nodded an acknowledgement to Doctor Bailey and Doctor Burke, and then slowly walked out of the bar.


	3. The right thing to do

**Chapter 3**

Izzie and George got home to an empty, darkened house. George barely had time to shut the door before Izzie had him pinned to the wall, kissing his lips feverishly.

"Izzie, can we slow down a bit" George managed to murmur between attacks.

"Oh yeah, Sorry George," Izzie said, composing herself, "don't know what came over me, must be the beers"

Looking slightly embarrassed by the incident, Izzie walked into the living room. George took off his jacket and hung it at the bottom of the stairwell. He then followed Izzie into the Living room, where they sat on the sofa and watched the TV.

Meredith entered in a silent rage. She slammed the door, which was far from silent. It caused George to lean over the back of the sofa and look towards the front door. He saw Meredith run up the stairs, tears welling in her eyes.

"Izzie, I think something is wrong with Meredith," George commented, "I think you should go talk to her."

Izzie got up haphazardly, not really wanting to go, and went to see what was wrong. She entered the room and closed the door behind her. We see George sat alone on the sofa. He gets up and goes upstairs. He slowly walks past Meredith's room door, he tries to hear, but is greeted by silence. He walks to his own room, and closes the door behind him.

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The next day flew by, and before they knew it, the three interns were returning home from another day at Seattle Grace. It was dark and cold outside, as it tends to be in Seattle in the late autumn/winter months. They were moving through to the living room, having just closed the front door behind them. Izzie was pulling off her phenomenally long scarf, while George had his arm half out of his jacket. Meredith had stopped dead in their path.**

There on the sofa, watching TV was Doctor Burke. Lying beside him, asleep on the couch, her head resting on Burke's lap was Christina.

"She was discharged this morning; she didn't want to be alone. I hope you three don't mind me being here."

"Of course not Doctor Burke" answered Meredith

"Preston" Burke corrected her.

"O right, Preston," said Meredith awkwardly, fingering through the pile of mail. It was strange seeing a doctor outside of work, it was even stranger calling them by their first name, "Guess you better call me Meredith then."

"Yes, I think that's best Doctor Grey….Meredith." Burke said, also awkward. He turned to George and Izzie. There was an awkward silence.

"George and Izzie" George said after the prolonged silence finally got to him.

"Thanks for that George" Burke said, clearly glad of someone finally telling him their names. When it came to interns, he learnt them by surname (as he shouted it after they messed up) or by mess ups they made which he had to fix.

Izzie had by this point been to the fridge and gotten beers for all of them. There was an awkward tension between the group. They sat in silence watching TV, sipping their beers. Christina eventually awoke, surprised at the crowd that had miraculously appeared around them. It was getting late, it was almost 10pm. Burke stood up as Christina did.

"I'd better go. Christina I will see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure"

Burke just stood there, coat over his arm, just standing in the centre of the room. Christina walked back to him, hugged him, and planted a kiss on his cheek. Burke clearly got very embarrassed. Meredith, Izzie and George looked away, pretending they hadn't seen it. Burke walked out of the front door; Christina closed the door behind him. As she turned around, Izzie George and Meredith were looking down at her from the bottom step of the stairs.

"What?" Christina said innocently enough.

"Kettle…Pot…Black" Meredith called as she walked up the stairs.

Christina followed her, Izzie and George behind them.

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The weekend was here at last. Strangely, it was a weekend free from work for the interns. Christina was visited by Burke; he was now a regular guest at the house, calling either before or after his shifts to dote over the slowly recovering Christina. Burke had clearly worked his way into the group; George even opened a beer for him before he'd even arrived.

There was a knock at the door. Izzie looked confused, who else visited them? She stood and went to the door. She came back a minute later.

"Erm…Meredith, it's for you." Izzie said, gesturing to the door. At that moment the door was heard closing, and a man appeared behind Izzie. It was Derek Shepard. After getting over his initial shock at seeing Burke with his arm around Christina, Derek gave a greeting to Burke, then went into the kitchen were Meredith was sitting on the counter top.

"Derek…" Meredith began, but her sentence was cut short by Derek's lips meeting hers. His hands rested on her thighs. Her arms went around his neck. The kissing was feverish and deep, as it always was between them. Meredith pushed him off her for a second:

"Are we seriously doing this again?"

"Well Burke and Yang are; why can't we?"

"Just because they are together doesn't mean we should be."

"Meredith, stop thinking things over so much."

Their lips met again. Our focus is taken from them, out of the kitchen and into the living room, where Christina and Burke are now sitting alone. Burke is sat upright on the couch, his arm along the back of the sofa. Christina is lying with her head on his lap, her fingers tracing the contours of his knees.

"Christina…"

"Yeah?" Christina says quietly.

"If you hadn't have lost the baby, do you think me and you would have, well you know."

"No I don't know, you will have to tell me"

"Gotten married and all that?"

"Why would we have needed to?" Christina said in shock, she was now kneeling up on the sofa, her hand on Burke's thigh, holding her up.

"Well, it seems like the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do? THE RIGHT THING TO DO! You marry for love not the right thing to do!"

"That's what I meant." Burke answered, now looking Christina square in the face. Christina was in shock, her mouth wide open staring into Burke's deep dark eyes.


	4. Things are looking up

**Chapter 4**

Christina was in a state of shock for days. Burke had told her that he loved her, in his own right about way, and all she could do was sit there with her mouth wide open and look at him. No wonder he left in such a hurry. He looked so embarrassed. Why couldn't she have just said it back and be done with it? She'd decided she would tell him the next time he came around, only he hadn't been back since the whole incident occurred. He was avoiding her.

Christina's first day back at work was slow, and people kept asking her if she was ok, to which she would reply

"Of course I'm ok, would I be here if I wasn't?" She didn't understand why people were being so concerned; her business was no business of theirs.

Bailey was surprisingly nice to her. She got a lot of easy patients, many of whom only needed discharging. This was a relief yet an annoyance to Christina; she wanted the complicated patients, the ones which required thought rather than a signature. She knew also that this would mean she'd have to cross paths with Burke. It would give her a reason to talk to him. The chance never came, and no matter how long she pleaded, Bailey wouldn't give her any 'difficult' patients.

Christina tried all she could during her short morning break to go and find Burke. He was in surgery, which was just her luck really. She went to the usual intern hideaway and stayed there till she had to get back to work. She sat alone, contemplating how she would go about saying it.

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Meredith was assisting Doctor Burke in his surgery. It was an open heart surgery on a thirty five year old male. He had been on the waiting list for a year and a half, and a year of that was spent in Seattle Grace due to decreasing health. The heart couldn't have come at a better time.

"Doctor Grey hand me a swap…Doctor Grey?" Burke looked over his magnifying spectacles. Meredith was daydreaming about something and clearly hadn't heard him call her name.

"DOCTOR GREY!" Burke shouted. Meredith came out of her daydream with a start and handed him a swap, peering into the open chest cavity as she did so. The heart was enlarged to a gigantic size, Meredith had never seen anything like it.

"This guy was lucky," Burke said, as if answering Meredith's own thoughts, "Any longer and I think this heart would have given up."

The surgery went as planned, there were no real complications. A slight tear in the aorta meant a few more stitches had to be used compared to normal, but that was nothing for the amazingly experienced Doctor Burke. He finished the surgery and left another surgeon to close the chest cavity. Meredith followed him out of the OR into the scrub up room.

"Doctor Grey, please stop following me" Burke answered before Meredith even had time to speak

"Why haven't you been to see Christina? She thinks she has done something wrong."

"No Doctor Grey, she did not. I, however, did. I don't think I can face her after it. I don't know what to do. What do you suggest I do Doctor Grey?"

He looked her squarely in the face. He looked like a lost little boy. Meredith was amazed. This man, Preston Burke, was a highly acclaimed surgeon. Hospitals all over the country wanted him on their staff, and here he was, asking her for love advice.

Our focus is taken from the two, who are in the scrub room washing their hands after the surgery. They are deep in conversation, Meredith doing most of the talking. Doctor Burke seems to be hanging on her every word.

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Izzie was checking up on a patient she had seen on the Friday. It was a fifteen year old teen who had been diagnosed with appendicitis and had to have immediate surgery to correct the problem. She was recovering well.

Alex saw Izzie talking to the teen and was immediately entranced. She looked like an angel, so beautiful. Her skin was flawless, and although her hair was messy, it fell perfectly around her face. He walked slowly to the open door of the room and leant against the door frame. Izzie looked up.

"What do you want Alex?"

"We've had this conversation before Izzie" Alex answered, as he walked into the room. He went to the opposite side of the bed, having to pass Izzie on his way. The space was limited and he had to press up to Izzie's back to get past. Izzie's breathe was caught by the sensation, Alex knew she wanted him, and that was proof. She'd tensed up again. It wasn't hatred that made her do that, definitely not.

Alex checked the teen's temperature and eyes, before smiling and walking from the room. Izzie watched as he walked away.

"He wants you, you know," The teen commented. Izzie had almost forgotten the teen was there, she was too encapsulated by the rhythm of Alex's walk. She snapped out of it and smiled at the teen.

"and you want him to" the teen added.

Izzie looked initially shocked by this, looking at the teen almost in horror. But then her features and expression softened. She was certainly coming around to that idea.

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Meredith hadn't seen any of the interns during the morning, and the afternoon would be no different. She went down to their usual hideaway with her lunch, to find Doctor Shepard waiting for her, a chocolate pudding cup in his hand

"I come baring gifts" he said, cocking his head to the side, a cute half smile on his face. Meredith couldn't refuse a proposal like that. The two of them sat together all lunch, kissed quite a lot, then both of them went for the elevator and back to work as if nothing had happened. The only recognition of the event was a sly smirk Doctor Shepard sent her as he left her at the elevator.

"Things are definitely looking up for you Meredith" she said to herself as she walked back to her patients, a silent smile now spreading across her face.


End file.
